Gun case



V. F. DALE Feb. 19, 1957 GUN CASE Filed Jan. 27, 41955 INVENTOR.

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United States Patent() GUN CASE Vernon F. Dale, Onalaska, Wis.

Application January 27, 1955, Serial No. 484,429

2 Claims. (Cl. 206-16) The present invention relates generally to improvement in devices for protectively confining firearms and the like, and relates more specifically to improvements in the construction of cases for housing and for facilitating the transportation of shot guns, rifles and similar articles.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a simple but durable case for protectively housing firearms or the like.

Some of the more important specific objects of the invention are as follows:

To provide a rigid housing for confining one or more guns within a dustproof but ventilated enclosure.

To provide a carrying case for elongated firearms wherein the articles are firmly held in Xed position when enclosed, but are readily accessible for inspection or removal.

To provide a gun housing receptacle of light but sturdy construction adapted to receive and retain various types of rearms in definite position while stored or when being carried with the aid of a handle secured to the casing.

To provide a gun confining housing formed of rather thin but rigid sheet metal and having main and cover sections which cooperate to provide a sealed gun confining chamber adapted to be ventilated if so desired.

To provide a rigid carrying case for guns and similar elongated articles, which may be manufactured and sold at moderate cost, and wherein the confined articles are maintained in clean and dry conditions at all times.

To provide a durable but compact gun housing casing which is especially adapted to be used for the purpose of safely transporting firearms in automobiles and other vehicles, and wherein the concealed guns are protected against possibile damage due to impact resulting from travel over rough roads or the like.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description from which it may be noted that the gist of my improvement is the provision of a gun case having a rigid main section and a cover section sealingly cooperable therewith, the main section being formed to maintain the enclosed gun in fixed position and the casing being provided with means for venting its interior while preventing ingress of dust or dirt.

A clear conception of the features constituting the present improvement and of the construction and use of a typical gun case embodying the invention, may be had by referring to the drawing accompanying and forming a part of this specication wherein like reference characters designate the same or similar parts in the various views.

Fig. l is a perspective view of a commercial rigid gun case with the cover or closure section partially opened and showing a typical gun in dot-and-dash lines mounted within the base or main section of the casing;

Fig. 2 is a somewhat enlargd part sectional end view of the same gun case, also showing the cover section partially opened, and the cross-section having been taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. l;

2,781,897 Patented Feb. 19, 1957 Fig. 3 is a further enlarged fragmentary section through the end vent portion of the gun case, taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, but showing thecover closed; and

Fig. 4 is a similarly enlarged fragmentary end View of the enclosed case, showing one of the casing sealing clamps in partially released condition.

While the invention has been shown and described herein as having been embodied in an elongated rigid gun case comprising two sheet metal hingedly interconnected sections lined with felt and having vents at both ends, it is not my desire or intention to unnecessarily restrict the improvement by virtue of .this limited embodiment; and it is also contemplated that specific descriptive terms employed herein be given the broadest possible interpretation consistent with the actual disclosure.

Referring to the drawing, the typical commercial gun case shown therein, comprises in general, an elongated two part rigid housing having a base or main section 6 and a cover or closure section 7 swingably connected to the base section 6 by a series of hinges 8; means consisting of several transverse supporting members 9, 10 mounted in the base section 6 and cooperating transverse retaining members 11, 12 carried by the cover section 7 for maintaining a gun 13 in fixed position within the closed casing; several venting devices 14 cooperating with vent opening 15 formed in the end walls of the elongated main section 6; a porous ylining 15 for the entire interiors of the sections 6, 7 and which spans the end vent opening 15'; a series of sealing clamp assemblages 16 asso- 6, 7; and a carrying handle 17 pivotally attached to the ciated with the separable side walls of the casing sections 6, 7; and a carrying handle 17 pivotally attached to the side wall of the base section 6 remote from the hinges 8.

The main and closure sections 61, 7 of the housing may be formed of light but `durable sheet material such as sheet metal, with the aid of punches and dies and the base section 6 is provided with an inwardly off-set brim 19 which is sealingly engaged by the brim of the cover section 7 and by the cover lining 15 when the case is closed, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. The hinges 8 of which there may be any desired number, should be formed to permit such tight closing of the cover, and the gun supporting transverse members 9, 10 are preferably provided with notches or sockets 20, 21 respectively fonmed to snugly coact with adjacent portions of the gun 13. The bottoms of these sockets 2l), 21 may be lined with fur, wool or other soft material, and one of the end walls of the casing section 6 is also preferably provided with a reaction block 22 with which the gun stock is adapted to coact as illustrated in Fig. 1. When a gun 13 has been positioned within the sockets 20, 21 and against the block 22 as shown, and the cover section is closed, the transverse retaining members 11, 12 which are fastened within the closure section 7 and project slightly therefrom, will coact with the corresponding supporting members 9, 10 respectively to firmly retain the gun in fixed position within these sockets.

The porous lining 15 is preferably formed of felt or other rather soft substance, and covers substantially the entire interior of the housing, as indicated by the stippling in Figs. l, 2 and 3. This lining material 15 also spans both of the casing -end openings 15 thus providing filters which permit clean air to pass through these openings, but positively prevent dust and other impurities from entering the casing when closed. Each of the venting devices 14 which are associated with the main casing section 6 adjacent to the openings 15', consists primarily of a fixed outer plate 24 having an annular series of holes 25 therein in alignment with the adjacent casing opening 15, and an inner disk 26 rotatably confined within the plate 24 and having therein a like series of holes 27 which are adapted to be brought into alinement with the plate holes 25. Each disk 26 is provided with an actuating arm 28 projecting through a slot in the plate 24 and which Amay be used to rotate the disk so as to either cause the holes 25, 27 to register and to thereby expose the vent openings 15 to the ambient atmosphere, or to stagger and thereby seal these holes 25, 27.

Each of the sealing clamp assemblages 16 comprises a semi-circular fitting 30 secured to the side wall of the cover section 7, anda complementary fitting 31 secured to the corresponding side wall of the base section 6, the fitting 31 having an actuating lever 32 pivotally attached thereto and the medial portion of which has a bail 33 swingably secured thereto and adapted to hook over the adjacent cover fitting 30, as illustrated in Fig. 4. These clamp assemblages are of relatively well known and standard construction, and when the bails 33 have been hooked over the adjacent cover fittings 30 and the levers 32 are swung downwardly from the position shown in Fig. 4, the hails 33 will pull the soft lining 15 of the cover section 7 into snug sealing engagement with the off-set brim 19 of the base section 6 as depicted in Fig. 3. The carrier handle 17 is preferably located mid-way between the end walls of the casing sections 6, 7 and is pivotally mounted on brackets 34 which are rigidly attached to the side wall of the main section 6 remote from the hinges 8 in any suitable manner. y

When the improved gun case has been properly constructed and assembled as hereinabove described, a gun 13 may be inserted within the sockets 20, 21 and with its stock butting against the end reaction block 22 as shown in Fig. l, while the cover section 7 is opened. Additional accessories as ammunition and cleaning equipment may also be applied within the base section 6 in the spaces adjacent to the barrel, stock and midsection of the inserted gun, to substantially fill the case, and these spaces are made of such height and dimensions that they will snugly confine standard shell boxes and other acccssories. The cover section 7 may then be closed and clamped into sealed position with the aid of the three clamps 16, whereupon the retaining members 11, 12 will coact with the positioning members 9, to firmly maintain the gun 13 in fixed position.

If the gun laden case is to be subsequently stored away, the vent controlling devices 14 may be adjusted with the aid of the regulating arms 28 so as to aline the holes 25, 27 and to thereby cause the casing interior to communicate with the ambient atmosphere through the vent openings 15', thus venting the case through the por ous filtering lining 15. While this lining permits free passage of clean air into and out of the sealed casing, it effectively prevents ingress of dust and dirt into the interior of the housing. However, if the gun is to be transported through excessively moist zones, the vent openings 15 may be effectively sealed by adjusting the arms 28 so as to rotate the disks 26 sufficiently to stagger the holes 25, 27, and the handle 17 may be utilized to readily carry the entire assemblage. The casing sections 6, 7 may also be provided with supporting lugs 35 near be apparent that the present invention in fact provides a simple and durable rigid housing for protectively confining a gun 13 and other accessories. The improved casing is light and may be conveniently ventilated without danger of having dust and other foreign matter enter its interior which is effectively sealed by the clamps 16 and the snugly coacting brims of the two sections 6, 7, and the porous felt lining 15 serves the triple func tion of sealing the case, of filtering the Ventilating air and of protecting the contents against marring. The improved gun cases may be manufactured in various sizes at moderate cost with the aid of punches and dies, and have proven highly satisfactory and successful in actual use.

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit this invention to the exact details of construtcion 0f the gun case herein shown and described, for various modifications within the scope of the appended claims may occur to persons skilled in the art.

I claim:

l. In a gun case, an elongated rigid housing having a main gun confining section and a closure section hingedly attached to the main section, a porous lining for the entire interiors of each of said sections, said main section having an inwardly offset brim sealingly cooperable with the brim lining of said closure section when closed, cooperating transverse retainer members carried by both of said sections for maintaining a gun in fixed position within the housing, and an atmospheric vent at each end of one of said sections, both of said vents having openings spanned by said porous lining to filter air passing through the openings.

2. In a gun case, an elongated rigid housing having a main gun confining section and a closure section hingedly attached to the main section, a porous lining for the entire interiors of each of said sections, said main section having an inwardly offset brim sealingly coopera ble with the brim lining of said closure section when closed, cooperating transverse retainer members carried by both of said sections for maintaining a gun in fixed position within the housing, and an atmospheric vent at each end of one of said sections, both of said vents having openings spanned by said porous lining to filter air passing through the openings, and each of said vents also having means operable from the exterior of said housing for varying the effective area of the adjacent opening.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,829,854 Donovan Nov, 3, 1931 2,519,662 Kempken Aug. 22, 1950 2,572,706 Eichholz et al. Oct. 23, 1951 2,694,485 Naken Nov. 16, 1954 

